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About dry cedar

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Osi:

If the windward side of the trees is facing north; Moss and decay and subsequent drying of the branches will be expected. Our cedar tree is the most majestic tree on the forest border and weathers the wind. The winds blow from the tent in the south direction. The north-facing side of our cedar has dried out and is ideal for firewood. I also hope the northern roots are exposed due to erosion. These are ideal conditions for the north side to dry out. What I want to achieve is; It excludes opening a window in the tree to spy on the tent or spy on someone. There is no reason for Yuri to bite his finger out of fear.

Ziljoe:
Hi Osi.

I will try and help if I can. From what I remember here and from reading by other authors .

Yes it has been suggested that these branches would be the most useful, to start a fire at least. Dryer than branches on the ground and perhaps some sap too. The suggestion that it was made as window was just pure speculation by one of the searchers/ investigators , other authors then try to fit this window into their theories, which is fair enough but I suspect that the most logical answer would be that these dryer branches ,higher up the tree, just happened to be the easiest to break off .

What we do know is someone definitely broke the branches and made a fire, given the evidence we have , it was most likely the hikers . It is a logical assumption with the information that we have , a poor fire was started that couldn't be maintained, this suggests an effort for survival . It was also reported that the Yuri's lay on top of some of the fir of these broken branches, for insulation perhaps ?, Also there are reports of some of the broken branches from higher up the tree not reaching the ground but being stuck on the lower branches of the ceder.

It was also reported that there was plenty of wood on the ground, but from a personal view, I don't think that wood would be easy to start a fire with.  If you don't have suitable tinder , axes or knifes , then using the resources of dry ceder branches makes sense.

The biting of the hand out of fear or to stop Yuri from shouting is just speculation and other people's interpretation of possible events. Others have suggested it may be to try and regain feeling in his hands or an involuntary reaction from chattering teeth from the cold.

Personally I think that the ceder was chosen for it's resources for a fire but I can't decide if the den or ceder was chosen first for survival.

Hope that helps.

Axelrod:
In early autumn I took a photo of a tree on the ridge of a mountain on a hiking route (there were traces of a fire next to it).

GlennM:
Ziljoe questions whether the den or the cedar was the first priority for the hikers. If heat was the issue, do we find remnants of a firepit in the ravine? If shelter was the priority would a single tree suffice for nine people? I think it true that in blowing snow, the cedar would be easier to attain. The ravine, especially if a cornice existed might be a trap if visibility was reduced by snow, fog and darkness.

Another approach might be to ask if the cedar was first, would it be logical to seek out the ravine next? Alternately, if the ravine was settled first, would they leave it for what the cedar could provide? 

What seems probable, given the physical findings at either place?

Ziljoe:
Thanks Glenn,

We have the two locations, the ceder and the ravine with the den. We know activity took place at both these locations and in-between by the trail of clothes and the cuts of the smaller trees that were made for what we assume to be the floor of a den.

To make flooring for insulation makes perfect sense , to make a fire makes sense, to risk breaking branches up a tree for dry wood makes a bit of sense too although there is a risk of falling a couple of meters .

When moving the body temperature can be raised and help prevent hypothermia, the rule of thumb I believe is , movement, then shelter then fire but it all depends on the circumstances weather etc.

The ravine has two resources, water and the potential of shelter. This shelter could be digging into a snow drift/ cornice or snow bridge/cave . The branches could have been used for flooring and a roof , the roof could be construed by placing the branches then the fir from the ceder and covering with snow. They just didn't get that far.Obviously I don't know if that was the intended plan but in basic observation , all the activity suggests the basic attempt to build something .

I can't for the life of me come up with the reason of the ripped/ cut clothes from the two Yuri's. If they were taking bits of trousers , why not take the shirts too , why was some clothing dropped?  If the Yuri's were failing and suffering from the cold , then why not build the shelter there with a fire or were they laid there on top of fir next to fire whilst they looked for a suitable snow drift to build a shelter, came back and the Yuri's were too far gone .

 I know these are obvious questions but even with the freedom of imagination, I can't figure it out. If the two at the ceder had the broken ribs and their clothes removed , then that would make a bit of sense , they're dead take clothes and move on to make the shelter /den? .

About the burns on the Yuri's and light burns on others and their clothes got me thinking.( As always). I know chemical burns had been suggested before and perhaps a reason to leave the tent, we have the suggestion of cinema film catching fire and gasing them out . It's the burns on Yuri's leg and hand that is so confusing.

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